Lina Inverse The Ice Cream Special
by perch
Summary: Written for 5trueloves. Lina Inverse, five different loves. Parts 2 & 3, Naga the Serpent and Zelgadiss Greywords respectively.
1. Ice Cream? Just Give Me a Scoop

Fandom: The Slayers

Title: Ice Cream? Just Give Me a Scoop of Everything You've Got!

(Lina Inverse – The Ice Cream Special)

Author: lj userperch using her fanfiction journal lj userwhelpling .

Theme: # 29. Words

Word Count: 567

Pairing: Lina Inverse/ Lina Inverse

Rating: PG-13

Written For: lj user5trueloves

Disclaimer: I don't own the Slayers, the Slayers own me. In addition I'm also not making any form of profit off these ficlets.

* * *

**One Question - Four POVs**

Whom does Lina love?

That's a tough question to answer to tell the truth. My first reaction would be to point towards Gourry and not bother to say a word. I mean, it should be pretty obvious. They have all the classic signs of togetherness, whatever your particular sign is.

They fight together, both verbally with each other and against common foes. They're always together, even after he gave up the legendary Sword of Light. They're always in each others pockets really, but when I stop to think about it, I wonder if I'm right.

When they're together they're electric to watch. It's never dull, I can tell you that much, but are they actually in a relationship? No, I don't think they are, no matter how much Amelia may desire it. They seem to see-saw from siblingishly platonic behavior through the comfortable frankness of an old married couple, but it's in their every day lives. What goes on after dark?

Well if we're going to talk about it I'd honestly say nothing. Not that I think about it all too often, or anything. Don't get me wrong. I'm just stating my opinion.

Ahem.

Anyway, that's not your question though. You want to know who does The Great and Terrible Lina Inverse loves. Well, if she's going to love anyone I'd say it was Gourry. And money, definitely money, and fame and magic….do you understand why I say it's complicated?

* * *

Mister Gourry of course!

As sure as the fires of Justice engulf my heart Miss Lina and Mister Gourry are truly in love! I mean isn't it obvious?

* * *

Hmmm whom does Lina Inverse love?

Now that's an interesting question I would have to say that Lina loves herself. The problem with Lina is that she is so anti-relationships. Yes, she likes to have her ego stroked as any sorceress does. Yes, she may have idle daydreams and the occasional wondering about some person or another, but Lina Inverse commit to anyone, but herself romantically?

Yes, she's committed wholeheartedly to her friends and she travels exclusively with Gourry, but you see…Lina is an incurable romantic. She wants PERFECT and no one is, so she's continually let down. I don't even think she realizes it herself it's buried so far within her. But if you want to know who has the best chance at her romantically? Who can break through Lina's own barriers and claim her passionate, adult, romantic love?

Well that my friend is a secret!

* * *

Lina? In…in love?

Well gee I haven't really thought about it. I'd have to say that I don't think Lina is in love with anyone. Lina doesn't really work that way. I mean…ow! Lina! What'd you go and do that for?

i Later on that night. /i

Hey, do you still want to know? I figured after Lina had run you off you wouldn't show your face again.

Who does Lina love?

You mean like romantically love right? Like a relationship? Hmmm to tell you the truth, I don't think she's figured out how yet. Lina, Lina kinda has these high expectations you know? The best you can do is stick with her and always be there for her. Everything else is kinda up to her to decide. It's just the way Lina is.


	2. LinaNaga

Fandom: Slayers  
Title: Chocolate is a Girl's Best Friend  
Author/Artist: Lj userperch using fanfic journal lj userwhelpling  
Theme: # 26 Gone  
Pairing/Characters: Lina/Naga, implied Lina/Gourry  
Rating: PG for Language  
Disclaimer/claimer: I do not own Slayers in any capacity nor am I making any form of profit from this fanfic.  
Notes/Summery: Lina runs into Naga five years later.

* * *

Some nights when Lina Inverse dreams, she dreams in purple. Long dark capes, long purple hair, clothes nothing more then a collection of black straps crossing over skin, and cold, pale flesh, adding stark contrast, forming the body of the woman, whom Lina cannot forget.

There is always a laugh. Haunting, piercing, humbling. Lina has never understood how she was able to withstand that laugh for so long, or the owner of that laugh; Naga the White Serpent. Her supposed arch-rival, sometimes traveling companion rarely thought of friend. In the years they were together Lina learned many valuable lessons. Never pay for someone else's food, don't share loot, and avoid having a half-wit for a rival as often as possible.

They parted the way they met, on Naga's terms. All their beginnings and endings were dictated by that obnoxious laugh, those bouncing breasts, and the flamboyant way Naga moved across the world. For most of the three years they were traveling companions Lina went out of her way to try and lose her, and for the years following their disbanding Lina went out of her way to stay lost, but some things, just aren't meant to end.

Fast forward five years.

Gourry is checking into their hotel while Lina goes off to check out the magic shop. Looking into the shops window is a tall, willowy woman in a floor length black cape, with long purple hair cascading down her back. Lina, gets a prickle down her back, but continues to advance towards the shop. The woman, as if she can feel someone watching her, slowly turns around, and there, in front of Lina, is Naga. More accurately, it is Naga's over developed chest, which is at Lina's eye level.

"Don't panic," Lina thinks, "you knew you were going to eventually run into Naga."

"Hello Lina," Naga says slowly and clearly, as if she's talking to an especially slow child, "how are you?"

"F-fine," Lina stammers, not quite sure why she's suddenly so nervous.

Naga smiles at her almost as if she pities her.

"What?" Lina demands, "what is it Naga?"

Naga shrugs her shoulders, seemingly innocent, while her eyes glitter and narrow and a small smile tugs up the corners of her lips.

"Oh, I was just noticing that after all these years you're still just as flat-chested as always."

"Naga! I can't believe you! We don't see each other in five years and that's all you can come up with?"

"Oh, has it been five whole years? My, you mustn't stay so obsessed with me Lina…"

"Obsessed? I'll show you obsessed! Fireball!" Lina shouted, hurling the spell at Naga.

Naga managed to dodge mostly out of the way, but the shop wasn't so lucky. After running away from the irate shopkeeper the two women found themselves atop a small hill outside of town.

"You never change, Lina, still just a child," Naga said quietly.

"I never change?"

Naga looked at her sadly, the smirk gone from her face, before taking a step towards her.

"Whoa, what are you up to?" Lina demanded, putting her hands up in front of her while stepping out of Naga's personal space.

"I'm just looking."

They stood together uncomfortably for a few moments and then Naga turned with a swish of her cape and started to walk away from the town.

"Wait a minute! Naga! Where are you going?"

Naga didn't say anything and Lina jogged to keep up with her.

"You make one comment about my breasts and that's it, you're done? I've been traveling the world; I saved it from more times then I can count now! Don't you even care?"

"Oh silly Lina, there you go trying to impress me again."

"What?"

"Oh don't think it'll stop me, I've heard about your little adventures, I mean, I am your greatest rival after all…"

"Hold on a minute! We're not going back to that greatest rival crap again are we?"

Naga stopped and whirled to face Lina. She pushed her face within centimeters of Lina's, forcing the young redhead to stop immediately and pull her face from Naga's chest. They stared at each other for a full minute, neither blinking, until finally Lina gulped and stepped back.

Naga leaned forward the few inches of space Lina had placed between them and tilted her head to the side, her mouth a breath away from Lina's own.

"I only want to hear one word come out of your mouth Lina Inverse," Naga whispered, her lips barely moving.

"I-I, Naga, I can't, I have Gourry, waiting back at the inn…and I can't," Lina whispered back.

The young redhead stepped back again and looked up at her oldest rival, her old traveling companion, the woman who taught her too many things, too many years ago, and when Naga turned away, this time, like all those others, Lina let her go.

Everything about their relationship was on Naga's terms except one, and that one thing Lina refused to give away, even when the darkest corners of her heart whispered for her to do so.


	3. LinaZelgadiss

Fandom: Slayers  
Title: Vanilla Dreams  
Author/Artist: lj userperch using fanfic journal Lj userwhelpling  
Theme: # 7 Procrastination  
Pairing/Characters: Lina/Zelgadiss  
Rating: PG  
Disclaimer/claimer: I do not own Slayers nor am I making any form of profit from this piece of fanfiction.  
Notes/Summery: Zelgadiss muses on his feelings for Lina.

* * *

Loving Lina is like drowning, every day, every minute of your life. You don't even realize you need air until she looks at you that one certain way of hers and suddenly you've forgotten how to breathe. Lina Inverse is a spitfire, a damned fine sorceress, and has more then earned every title given to her, both good and ill.

So how do you start falling in love with her?

It's simple really. Her personality, her sheer magnetism will lure you in. Lina may not appear to be much to look at. She's short, she's bad tempered, she's under developed in certain areas men usually like women to be over developed in, but she's one of a kind. No one can compete with her and when she's kind, she's considerate and when she's enraged, the countryside itself trembles before her.

This is a woman who takes down gods.

Hell, I probably sound like I should be starting a fan club, rather then admitting my strange and oddly fascinating obsession with her. What else can I have at this point, if not an obsession?

Sometimes I wonder if time could reverse itself, if the way we'd met been different could there have been a chance? I'm not much to look at myself, okay, I'm a chimera, I'm three parts molded into one, from human, to golem, to blow demon. My skin is rocky and hard, my hair wiry and deadly, but I'm still a man, despite the sum of my parts. I still notice women and for a brief while there, though I may just be flattering myself at this point, I thought that she had feelings for me.

Not obvious feelings, not some strange epiphany that came crashing down on her head. No, just a primal instinct, a need, sitting underneath, hidden, not fully recognizable in her consciousness, and sometimes, as our lives continued to intersect, I thought there were potential moments, if only things, people, situations were different.

I blame myself for a lot of the lost chances. Lina, is an incredibly overbearing person, and frankly intimidating on many different levels. She's the kind of woman that could just as easily punch you as show you kindness, and the signals she sends? I think sometimes they'd send stronger men then me into fits.

But there are times when she holds my arm, when she's close, when she's being her fiery, insane self, that I simultaneously despair that I'm no more then her lackey and glory in being around her. It sounds almost like worship, but I assure you it is not. It is just, I don't even know if it is truly love, but then, I don't fully understand love and its needs. I just know that I need to be both close to Lina and far away, both with her and apart and that given the chance I believe, that we could grow closer.

I know that unlike Gourry, I would not keep it platonic when Lina turned that considerable brain of hers towards pondering relationships. I know that at this stage I would take the chance, if I were given one.

Do I believe that Lina loves me? As a friend yes, maybe even as a brother, but as a lover, as a man, as something sexual? No, no I don't believe so. I think sometimes that mind of hers turns to me and she wonders, but I don't believe she inserts herself into the scenarios she concocts, and that, is a humbling thought in itself.


End file.
